Switzerland's Glacier Express, one of the most famous tourist trains in the world, was involved in an accident on Friday that caused three coaches to derail and turn over. One person was killed and at least 42 others injured when the train derailed in the Swiss Alps. At least 12 of the injured were reported to be in a serious condition.
Most of the passengers on the Glacier Express were reportedly Japanese and the one fatality was reportedly a 64-year-old Japanese woman. Three carriages came off the tracks and two tipped over in the accident, which occurred on the train's route between Zermatt and St Moritz. The train, which derailed shortly before midday, carried about 210 passengers. All the derailed carriages, which were at the back of the train, were first class. The cause of the accident was not yet known, according to Swiss police.
The Glacier Express reportedly was not moving fast and was on a gentle curve when the accident occurred. The crash happened near the town of Fiesch and the mouth of Europe's largest glacier, Aletsch. Helicopters were used to ferry the injured to hospitals in Lausanne and Geneva.
The Glacier Express train travels over 291 bridges and through 91 tunnels during a journey lasting more than seven hours. The service is known as "the slowest express train in the world" and carries 250,000 passengers a year. For more information on the Glacier Express, visit www.glacierexpress.ch/en.
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